extreme makeover...reef style ... with pics

macreefster · 04/18/2008, 09:43 AM

well.... after reading the posts here and seeing the TOTM pics, along with pics of other tanks here i decided to take the plunge and give my reef a total makeover. so i got on the phone to premium aquatics and two days later all this stuff showed up at my door. i shall endevour to take pics along the way of the changes and additions i make to my system and hopefully someone will benefit from my experiences as i've done from many of you.

i went from a 33" sunpod 2x250w HQI to two lumen bright reflectors, phoenix 14k bulbs and a dual bluewave ballast. i love the look the new reflectors and bulbs bring to the tank. i am not sure if it will show up in my pics but here is the tank with the sunpod along with 4x 39w HO actinic day bulbs.

here is it with the new bulbs and lumen brights ( the lumen brights are just sitting on my flourescent fixtures temporarily, that will change soon)

i know, what a mess!

i also hooked up the vortech and absolutely love it! it has a nice wide stream with massive amounts of water flow. i had to re-do the rockwork to accomodate the increased flow. i also purchased the upgraded controller and like the differant setting a lot. i just wish they had a night mode.

i have to still hook up the GEO Ca and kalk reactors, the midwest aquatics de-nitrifier, the pacific coast chiller, the spectra pure 90 gpd RO/DI and re-build my cabinet and canopy. looks like i'll be busy for a while and i'll take pics along the way. i am a bit overwhelmed right now, but i have my secret weapon in hand!!!LOL

Jeremy Blaze · 04/18/2008, 09:49 AM

How about some info on your tank?

macreefster · 04/18/2008, 11:00 AM

well jeremy....its predominantly an sps and clam tank, 70g in size (36"x24"x20") with a 50g sump and 25g refugium. along with the corals there are 7 bartletts anthias, 1 purple tang, 1 tomeni tang, 1 red scooter blenny, 1 tailspot blenny and 1 flame hawk. this is my trial tank until i move onto something larger, anywhere from 120 to 300g... depending on how out of my mind i get..lol.

macreefster · 04/18/2008, 03:34 PM

any advice or suggestions appreciated. anyone have trouble with HQI bulbs properly seating in the lumen bright sockets?

BLKTANG · 04/18/2008, 03:36 PM

Very nice.

miwoodar · 04/18/2008, 03:58 PM

And I thought my tank was packed! Sweet elegance. I would love to find a healthy one some day.

ooja3k · 04/18/2008, 05:38 PM

Looks good!

macreefster · 04/18/2008, 06:45 PM

thanks everyone. yeah, my tank is packed and i know to many it would be considered overcrowded.... especially for a tank only two months old, but i don't mind trimming or weeding out corals as they grow. most of the TOTM's are packed too! besides, it just gives me a reason to get a bigger tank.

i really didnt want the elegance, i have a frogspawn that i think is even nicer (bright green with purple tips), but how can one pass up a healthy and nice looking elegance?

now if i can just get my new lumen brights to work properly!

miwoodar · 04/18/2008, 07:08 PM

i really didnt want the elegance, i have a frogspawn that i think is even nicer (bright green with purple tips), but how can one pass up a healthy and nice looking elegance?

I used to work at a shop that had an elegance that was the size of a computer case (2 feet by 1.5 feet by 0.5 feet). Wicked. After being in the shop for at least the 5 years that I was in town, it died due to an employee error. Doh.

Can we get more pics of the reflectors when you get them placed?

macreefster · 04/18/2008, 07:37 PM

i'll be taking pics during the entire process and hope to have the reflectors mounted soon. i found out that the phoenix bulbs dont fit into the sockets so i'll try another bulb. tomorrow i'll be hooking up the Ca reactor, denitrification reactor and the chiller....wish me luck!

Saltwater_Dog · 04/18/2008, 07:39 PM

Looks great..very nice.

2fishy · 04/18/2008, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by macreefster
thanks everyone. yeah, my tank is packed and i know to many it would be considered overcrowded.... especially for a tank only two months old, but i don't mind trimming or weeding out corals as they grow.

Gulp!!!! Your tank is only 2 months old?! OMG, I wish I had coral growth like that!!!!

Beautiful tank!

ooja3k · 04/18/2008, 11:47 PM

ya, seriously... did you buy the colonies that big or were they frags at one point...

macreefster · 04/19/2008, 04:51 AM

thanks saltwater dog, 2fishy and ooja3k.

i had many of the corals that i grew from frags in my 29g for a year. i also have a LPS that gets in nice wild colonies quite regularily so that helps fill in a tank more quickly. while i am concerned more about color than growth, i still get decent growth. i was hoping to use the phoenix 14k's without actinics, but they don't seat properly in the lumen bright sockets. any suggestions on another bulb simular to the phoenix color?

macreefster · 04/20/2008, 03:23 PM

while i didnt accomplish all i wanted this weekend, i did get quite a lot done and here are some pics showing the progress.

first off the lumen bright DE reflectors just didnt work for me. they are a total pain having to remove 19 screws to get to the bulb and the sockets just are too sloppy and would hold the bulbs properly. i am sending them back and getting lumenmax 3's instead.

i was able to install my Ca reactor (minus the CO2, have to fill the tank tomorrow), the kalk reactor, the denitrification reactor and i organized my electrical and added GFIC breakers... you'll see why i did so in a minute...lol

i converted a closet into my filter room, so its hard taking pics. heres a couple of before pics and you'll see why i had to neaten things up!

spaghetti cords!

a look down into part of my sump. its housing a few corals soon to be given away and is home to my carpet anenome and percula clown (they will be moved to their own separate sump soon)

heres the Ca and kalk reactors

the redone electrical. not great, but better

any suggestions on how i can improve anything would be appreciated. i know the pics arent exciting, we'll get back to main tank when i get my new reflectors wednesday.

jlynn427 · 04/20/2008, 04:00 PM

i know for my cord management i got that velcro that wraps around and adheres to itself(for hoses) and that did wonders for me

macreefster · 04/20/2008, 04:07 PM

thanks jlynn....i was going to use tie downs, but the velcro is perfect as it's easy to remove. sometimes i get so busy thinking about plumbing, lighting, filtration and aquascaping that the little things escape me (thats my excuse for just plain not thinking..lol)

macreefster · 04/20/2008, 05:46 PM

ok...enough of the equipment pics. here are some tank pics.

i love how my tailspot blenny pretty much lives in this hole in the rock

the canopy and stand are still a work in progress... awaiting new reflectors before completing

my multi color angel....love this little guy

feeding time

closer view

NanoGurl · 04/20/2008, 06:12 PM

Beautiful photos =) The anthias look so pretty!

04/18/2008, 09:43 AM	#1
macreefster Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: michigan Posts: 1,015	extreme makeover...reef style ... with pics well.... after reading the posts here and seeing the TOTM pics, along with pics of other tanks here i decided to take the plunge and give my reef a total makeover. so i got on the phone to premium aquatics and two days later all this stuff showed up at my door. i shall endevour to take pics along the way of the changes and additions i make to my system and hopefully someone will benefit from my experiences as i've done from many of you. i went from a 33" sunpod 2x250w HQI to two lumen bright reflectors, phoenix 14k bulbs and a dual bluewave ballast. i love the look the new reflectors and bulbs bring to the tank. i am not sure if it will show up in my pics but here is the tank with the sunpod along with 4x 39w HO actinic day bulbs. here is it with the new bulbs and lumen brights ( the lumen brights are just sitting on my flourescent fixtures temporarily, that will change soon) i know, what a mess! i also hooked up the vortech and absolutely love it! it has a nice wide stream with massive amounts of water flow. i had to re-do the rockwork to accomodate the increased flow. i also purchased the upgraded controller and like the differant setting a lot. i just wish they had a night mode. i have to still hook up the GEO Ca and kalk reactors, the midwest aquatics de-nitrifier, the pacific coast chiller, the spectra pure 90 gpd RO/DI and re-build my cabinet and canopy. looks like i'll be busy for a while and i'll take pics along the way. i am a bit overwhelmed right now, but i have my secret weapon in hand!!!LOL

04/18/2008, 09:49 AM	#2
Jeremy Blaze Former Reef Addict Join Date: May 2003 Location: New Washington, IN Posts: 5,864	How about some info on your tank? __________________ Trust me my friend, the names are not important at all. I've own hundreds of different zoas and palys and don't know the name of a single one. In my opinion, they are a waste of valuable time. Mucho Reef

04/18/2008, 11:00 AM	#3
macreefster Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: michigan Posts: 1,015	well jeremy....its predominantly an sps and clam tank, 70g in size (36"x24"x20") with a 50g sump and 25g refugium. along with the corals there are 7 bartletts anthias, 1 purple tang, 1 tomeni tang, 1 red scooter blenny, 1 tailspot blenny and 1 flame hawk. this is my trial tank until i move onto something larger, anywhere from 120 to 300g... depending on how out of my mind i get..lol. __________________ mac Current Tank Info: 70gal sps reef (36x24x20), 50g sump, 25g refugium, vertex alpha cone 170, 2 x 250w 14k phoenix w/ lumenmax 3's, 2 vortech mp40w's, eheim 1262 return pump

04/18/2008, 03:34 PM	#4
macreefster Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: michigan Posts: 1,015	any advice or suggestions appreciated. anyone have trouble with HQI bulbs properly seating in the lumen bright sockets? __________________ mac Current Tank Info: 70gal sps reef (36x24x20), 50g sump, 25g refugium, vertex alpha cone 170, 2 x 250w 14k phoenix w/ lumenmax 3's, 2 vortech mp40w's, eheim 1262 return pump

04/18/2008, 03:36 PM	#5
BLKTANG Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Never,Never Land Posts: 7,061	Very nice. __________________ We the few have done so much,for so long,for so little.That we are now qualified to do anything with nothing. ____________________________________________________________________________ Current Tank Info: RR 90 Maganvore sump,250w Hamilton fixture,VorTec's ASM skimmer.

04/18/2008, 03:58 PM	#6
miwoodar Likey the bikey Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Colorado Posts: 3,371	And I thought my tank was packed! Sweet elegance. I would love to find a healthy one some day. __________________ Mike On hiatus. I'm either out riding my bicycle, playing with my family, or throwing ferts in my planted tank. Or working. I hope I'm not doing that though. Current Tank Info: 140 DIY Cube

04/18/2008, 05:38 PM	#7
ooja3k The Reef Producer Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Costa Mesa Posts: 1,192	Looks good! __________________ -Ryan PBITAWA

04/18/2008, 06:45 PM	#8
macreefster Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: michigan Posts: 1,015	thanks everyone. yeah, my tank is packed and i know to many it would be considered overcrowded.... especially for a tank only two months old, but i don't mind trimming or weeding out corals as they grow. most of the TOTM's are packed too! besides, it just gives me a reason to get a bigger tank. i really didnt want the elegance, i have a frogspawn that i think is even nicer (bright green with purple tips), but how can one pass up a healthy and nice looking elegance? now if i can just get my new lumen brights to work properly! __________________ mac Current Tank Info: 70gal sps reef (36x24x20), 50g sump, 25g refugium, vertex alpha cone 170, 2 x 250w 14k phoenix w/ lumenmax 3's, 2 vortech mp40w's, eheim 1262 return pump

04/18/2008, 07:08 PM	#9
miwoodar Likey the bikey Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Colorado Posts: 3,371	i really didnt want the elegance, i have a frogspawn that i think is even nicer (bright green with purple tips), but how can one pass up a healthy and nice looking elegance? I used to work at a shop that had an elegance that was the size of a computer case (2 feet by 1.5 feet by 0.5 feet). Wicked. After being in the shop for at least the 5 years that I was in town, it died due to an employee error. Doh. Can we get more pics of the reflectors when you get them placed? __________________ Mike On hiatus. I'm either out riding my bicycle, playing with my family, or throwing ferts in my planted tank. Or working. I hope I'm not doing that though. Current Tank Info: 140 DIY Cube

04/18/2008, 07:37 PM	#10
macreefster Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: michigan Posts: 1,015	i'll be taking pics during the entire process and hope to have the reflectors mounted soon. i found out that the phoenix bulbs dont fit into the sockets so i'll try another bulb. tomorrow i'll be hooking up the Ca reactor, denitrification reactor and the chiller....wish me luck! __________________ mac Current Tank Info: 70gal sps reef (36x24x20), 50g sump, 25g refugium, vertex alpha cone 170, 2 x 250w 14k phoenix w/ lumenmax 3's, 2 vortech mp40w's, eheim 1262 return pump

04/18/2008, 07:39 PM	#11
Saltwater_Dog Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Grand Isle, Louisiana Posts: 375	Looks great..very nice. __________________ GO TIGERS!!!!! Current Tank Info: 100 gal, 160 lbs Live Rock, 120 lbs Live Sand, Octopus HOB Skimmer, PC Lighting, 2-Koralia 3's, 2-Max Jett 900's, Filter Guys Ocean Wave + RO/DI 75gpd

04/18/2008, 11:47 PM	#13
ooja3k The Reef Producer Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Costa Mesa Posts: 1,192	ya, seriously... did you buy the colonies that big or were they frags at one point... __________________ -Ryan PBITAWA

04/19/2008, 04:51 AM	#14
macreefster Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: michigan Posts: 1,015	thanks saltwater dog, 2fishy and ooja3k. i had many of the corals that i grew from frags in my 29g for a year. i also have a LPS that gets in nice wild colonies quite regularily so that helps fill in a tank more quickly. while i am concerned more about color than growth, i still get decent growth. i was hoping to use the phoenix 14k's without actinics, but they don't seat properly in the lumen bright sockets. any suggestions on another bulb simular to the phoenix color? __________________ mac Current Tank Info: 70gal sps reef (36x24x20), 50g sump, 25g refugium, vertex alpha cone 170, 2 x 250w 14k phoenix w/ lumenmax 3's, 2 vortech mp40w's, eheim 1262 return pump

04/20/2008, 03:23 PM	#15
macreefster Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: michigan Posts: 1,015	while i didnt accomplish all i wanted this weekend, i did get quite a lot done and here are some pics showing the progress. first off the lumen bright DE reflectors just didnt work for me. they are a total pain having to remove 19 screws to get to the bulb and the sockets just are too sloppy and would hold the bulbs properly. i am sending them back and getting lumenmax 3's instead. i was able to install my Ca reactor (minus the CO2, have to fill the tank tomorrow), the kalk reactor, the denitrification reactor and i organized my electrical and added GFIC breakers... you'll see why i did so in a minute...lol i converted a closet into my filter room, so its hard taking pics. heres a couple of before pics and you'll see why i had to neaten things up! spaghetti cords! a look down into part of my sump. its housing a few corals soon to be given away and is home to my carpet anenome and percula clown (they will be moved to their own separate sump soon) heres the Ca and kalk reactors the redone electrical. not great, but better any suggestions on how i can improve anything would be appreciated. i know the pics arent exciting, we'll get back to main tank when i get my new reflectors wednesday. __________________ mac Current Tank Info: 70gal sps reef (36x24x20), 50g sump, 25g refugium, vertex alpha cone 170, 2 x 250w 14k phoenix w/ lumenmax 3's, 2 vortech mp40w's, eheim 1262 return pump

04/20/2008, 04:00 PM	#16
jlynn427 Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: richmond, va Posts: 1,018	i know for my cord management i got that velcro that wraps around and adheres to itself(for hoses) and that did wonders for me __________________ My 6-year old son asked me in the car the other day " Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that?

04/20/2008, 04:07 PM	#17
macreefster Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: michigan Posts: 1,015	thanks jlynn....i was going to use tie downs, but the velcro is perfect as it's easy to remove. sometimes i get so busy thinking about plumbing, lighting, filtration and aquascaping that the little things escape me (thats my excuse for just plain not thinking..lol) __________________ mac Current Tank Info: 70gal sps reef (36x24x20), 50g sump, 25g refugium, vertex alpha cone 170, 2 x 250w 14k phoenix w/ lumenmax 3's, 2 vortech mp40w's, eheim 1262 return pump

04/20/2008, 05:46 PM	#18
macreefster Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: michigan Posts: 1,015	ok...enough of the equipment pics. here are some tank pics. i love how my tailspot blenny pretty much lives in this hole in the rock the canopy and stand are still a work in progress... awaiting new reflectors before completing my multi color angel....love this little guy feeding time closer view __________________ mac Current Tank Info: 70gal sps reef (36x24x20), 50g sump, 25g refugium, vertex alpha cone 170, 2 x 250w 14k phoenix w/ lumenmax 3's, 2 vortech mp40w's, eheim 1262 return pump

04/20/2008, 06:12 PM	#19
NanoGurl Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Earth Posts: 4,306	Beautiful photos =) The anthias look so pretty!